lievers of a former time while they tell what they did, and they may confidently rely on their testimony. But when these witnesses are appealed to in support of opinions, judgments, and interpretations of the New Testament, we are under the necessity of examining whether they themselves put forth such a claim; or whether they possessed the spiritual qualifications which alone could entitle them to occupy so conspicuous a place, involving so much dread responsibility. (Page 239.) VII.-EFFECT OF PRIESTHOOD. As long as it is held that spiritual functions belong of right to a separate class of men, and that these functions so discharged by them are the channels of the saving grace of God, and so long as these claims are upheld by powerful organizations, whether ecclesiastical or political, whether oligarchical or popu lar, so long the human spirit of adherence to institutions, and the equally human spirit of resistance to usurpa tions, must be brought into collision; the meditations of piety, the songs of praise, and the "unity of the Spirit" will be disturbed and outraged by the war of party; and the fierceness of the conflict will be proportioned to the earnestness of the opponents. But suppose it were agreed on all hands that every one of these notions is alike inconsistent with just apprehensions of the work of the Divine Spirit, we should behold, not indeed the conquest of one party by another, but of both by truth. (Page 246.) THE BIBLE THE BOOK FOR THE CLOSET. THERE is no volume, in every sense, so strikingly, so pre-eminently adapted to the chamber of devotional retirement, as the Holy Bible. The minister of the Gospel, who is assiduous in the culture of the best affections, as well as of the intellectual faculties-and the enlightened and holy believer in Christ Jesus, who is anxious to live near to God, and to breathe much of the spirit of heaven, uniformly feel that there is no book, for divine purposes, like this. Indeed, to elevate the soul from earthto raise its thoughts, emotions, and desires, to Paradise-all its purity, bliss, and cloudless glory, its adaptation, to accomplish this end, is perfect. Every human production, however excellent in itself, however contemplative, ele vated in its tone, profoundly serious, and purely devotional, is little, is insignificant, is not deserving of being menoned in comparison of the Word of God, the source of religious instruction to the human family, and the primary and Divine means of religious edification, impression, holiness, and encouragement to the world. In our own country, and in the present age especially, we have, as intelligent and spiritual followers of the Redeemer, many admirable helps to devotion; when we retire to our chambers to indulge in meditation, to pour forth our petitions into the bosom of our heavenly Father, and to cultivate the purer, the tenderer, the loftier emotions of the spirit, we have numerous and valuable volumes, composed expressly for the closet, penned with beautiful and touching simplicity, marked by "the unction from the Holy One" pervading them, breathing the most devout and elevated temper, and which can never be perused under the influence of a calm and reflective frame of mind, without much enjoyment being experienced, and much benefit of the highest kind being realised. Faith is increased, love is warmed, humility is deepened, sub mission to the Divine will is augmented, and all the graces which beautify and ennoble the Christian character are invigorated, enlarged in their breadth, and heightened in intensity and power. Still, these volumes, however valuable and superior in themselves, are poor aids to devotion indeed-to the religion of the heart-without the Bible, or in comparison of the Bible. All their light is derived from the Word of God; all their beauty is communicated by the Word of God; all their glory is reflected by the Word of God; all their impressiveness arises from their inculcation of the great truths, the living, transforming principles, which are found in the Word of God. The first, and almost the sole, book for the closet of a Christian who is living near to God his Saviour, and who wishes to advance in the cultivation of every humble and holy feeling, is the Scripture itself. No book has so great a charm. No book is encircled with lustre so pure and radiant. No book exerts such influence, or commands such power. No book commends itself so clearly and so directly to the understanding, to the judgment, to the conscience, to the best and warmest emotions of the heart. When, therefore, we are perusing, in the chamber of retirement, the pages of the inspired volume, we are making ourselves acquainted with the truth which has emanated from the mind and heart of God himself, we are becoming conversant and familiar with the truth which has been revealed and proclaimed by the Lord Jesus in so sublime, beauteous, and impressive a manner,—that pure, changeless, unsullied truth, which comes to us without any admixture, however slight, of human ignorance, folly, or infirmity. There are no earthly adhesions here. There is no sediment arising from connection with man, or from the influence of the world, here. There are no undesirable or injurious incrustations here. Here we look into the fountain of truth, whose waters are deep and pellucid and undefiled. How important, how delightful in the chamber of retirement, to endeavour to penetrate these waters, to look into, and even to make an attempt at sounding, these depths, and thus to contemplate truth at its source! Do we not all feel, if Christians, that the Bible is the best book for the closet, because it communicates the message of God to us? and, indeed, is that message itself, to every reader, to every inIf sound and enlightened believers inquirer, to every petitioner for the enthe Lord Jesus, we shall appreciate and joyment of Divine mercy? honour the Bible as the fountain of truth, the truth of God, the truth of heaven and immortality: that truth by which we are instructed and guided in our progress towards eternity, by which we are fortified amidst all the temptations and perils of life, by which we are purified in a world of depravity, by which we are to be judged at last, pronounced holy or impure, guilty or absolved, according to its decisions; and, in unison with its representations, provided that we are the sincere and undeviating followers of Christ, we are to be saved, rescued from hell, elevated to glory, admitted to Paradise, to dwell eternally with the Lord. The message is most plain, clear, direct, pointed, and impressive. It is conveyed to us with marked and exquisite simplicity. There is no preten sion, no finery, no glare, no elaborateness, no meretricious or unnecessary ornament, quite the reverse. It is a chaste, an impressive, a Divine simplicity, which ever marks the communications of Heaven to man. The messages of the Bible are conveyed to us with pregnant brevity. "A figure dwells in a word-a powerful argument in a most casual allusion, and so the opulence of the eternal Mind betrays itself with an air of mingled grandeur and simplicity, an air almost of unconsciousness in thoughts which are incidental and secondary, throwing off flashes of momentary radiance, like gleams of polished armour, which derive their tremulous glory from the temper, not the hue, of the surface that reflects them." The announcements of the Bible are conveyed to us with deep toned solemnity, as the great and awful communication of God to our souls, as that with which our happiness, security, salvation, our eternal all, must be considered as being identified. The revelations of the Bible are imparted to us with exquisite tenderness. There is all the persuasivenes-all the kindness, all the mercy of the God of love, of the Friend of sinners, of the Saviour of those who believe. The Bible is also communicated to us as a message which we must instantly regard. It must not be unheeded. It must never be trifled with. It demands supreme and unceasing attention. It cannot be neglected without our best, our highest interests being perilled. There is not a verse in the Bible but has its weight: all the histories, all the prophecies, all the devotional passages, so rich and beautiful; all the biographies, all the examples, all the terse moral maxims, all the noble Christian precepts, all the wise and inimitable directions, demand, and will amply repay, our fixed contemplation and regard. For the Bible, be it always remembered, is not a theoretical, speculative system: it is a system embodied, personified, exhibited, softened down, moulded to actual life and experience. The Bible is the revelation of Divine love and mercy to man, to our debased, miserable, and otherwise ruined world: unfolding all that is sublime and gracious, in connection with the plan and mysterious procedure of redemption; all its doctrines proclaim this love, all its invitations are prompted by this love, all its encouragements are sug gested and sustained by this love, all its promises are rendered delightful and efficacious by this love. When perusing the Bible in the closet, we are making ourselves acquainted with the announcements of Infinite Wisdom, with the provisions of Infinite Love and mercy, that man might be pardoned, be introduced to the Divine family, realise the privileges of adoption, and, eventually, be admitted to the celestial kingdom. The Bible is the Word of Christ:" that which he has dictated, that which he explains to the understanding, and which he applies to the heart with resistless energy, by the power of his Spirit. What beauty does this word unfold! what meaning does this word convey! what lustre does this word shed! what consolation does this word express with what power is this word clothed! The Bible is the Book of inspired devotion, containing a vast accumulation of celestial sentiments, comprehending prayers the most simple, terse, appropriate, fervid, and important. Prayers which every sinner can prefer, which every Christian must feel and enjoy. Prayers which are ever fresh and beautiful, powerful and most efficacious. Thus the Bible, by all its precepts, all its admonitions, all its appeals, as well as by all its prayers, is enkindling, quickening, and elevating, every devout. and holy emotion. This is the first Book we should use in the closet, and the last we should consult; on its truths we should meditate, over its hallowed pages we should linger; one part we should compare with another, and seek to gain instruction, incitement, encouragement, and admonition, from all. It will, if properly consulted, with a humble and devout mind, and with a large heart, always enlighten and direct, always sustain and console, always purify and bless; and the more we peruse it, the more we value, and admire, and love it, the more highly will every devotional exercise be prized, and the greater, consequently, will be the presence of Christ, and the happiness of real religion, enjoyed in its observance. We ardently wish that the Bible were more frequently consulted in retirement. No habit would so expand the mind, correct the views, ennoble the faculties, purify the passions, influence with Divine power, the entire soul. We wish the Bible were more devoutly consulted in retirement, with more of the spirit of faith, humility, and love; with more of the temper of heaven. It would produce effects on the character and conduct not only obvious and most advantageous, but even inestimable. We wish the Bible were examined by itself in retirement, without any supplementary or auxiliary aid, without any foreign help, which often encumbers and impedes, without any feeble assistance which man can lend. There is nothing like examining the Bible alone with God, and without any intervening medium, without anything to darken, dilute, obscure. We wish the taste of the age were more of this character. We often al most regret that we have so many helps for the closet, admirable though numbers of them are, because we fear that the Book of God will, in many instances, be comparatively neglected and undervalued. Ministers of the Gospel! study this Book of books devotionally, and it will ever feed and enrich your minds, prepare you for the composition and moulding of all your sermons, and for the effective observance of all your hallowed exercises. Members of Christian churches! examine this sacred volume more closely, more frequently than ever, under the influence of the spirit of believing prayer, and it will materially elevate your character, beautify your profession, and sanctify your lives. Parents! peruse the Word of God in your retired chambers: become familiar with the doctrines and ennobling principles of the New Testament, and, when meeting with your families, instructing and admonishing your beloved offspring, you will be baptized into its spirit, and there will be "an unction from the Holy One" descending and resting upon you. Inquirers after the Saviour, accustom yourselves to peruse, with simple and entire reliance on Divine agency, the Psalms, theGospels, and Paul's Epistles, especially, and sure we are, with humble, docile, confiding minds, you will be led into the right way; and you, young people, in whom our hopes centre, and for whose happiness and salvation we are so solicitous,—never forget to read the Bible daily, with the utmost care, and to offer fervid prayer before and after examining its sacred contents. Ere you retire to rest, and previously to commencing the engagements of the day, form this habit: you will find it to be inestimable. The Bible will mould your character, will prepare you for life, will fortify you in temptation, will fit you for usefulness in the church, will be your directory to Canaan, and will constitute, by the truths and promises which you have been enabled to appreciate and enjoy, the foundation of your tranquillity and happiness in the article of death. The value of the Bible in retirement, we would observe, in conclusion, is especially realised by the poor and tried disciples of Christ. It is their light in darkness, their joy in sorrow, their solace in the hour of sickness, their staff in the valley and shadow of death. The Bible to them is everything— their food, their medicine, their friend, their sympathiser, their guide. The Bible is emphatically the poor Christian's Book, pondered by him continually in retirement. It is his price less treasure, amidst all his penury and He obeys his He flees to him. He finds rest, and is happy. Thus God owns the word, applies it with sweetness and power. He looks up, and says, "Not my will, O Lord, but thine be done." He wipes away the tear from his eye. O let me turn the sacred page, And as I feel my bosom glow, T. W. YOUTHFUL READING-RICHARD BAXTER. REGARDING the books to be put into the hands of young persons, it has been often said how important it is that they be well approved. This is a remark of great moment, and it would be well if all the parties interested saw its full force. The sentiment and style may so affect a young mind, that the tone and genuine character of that book shall be transferred to the reader, and adhere to him for life. If this mode of describing be objected against, we may say, it matters little, for there often is that in a book which calls forth from the youthful reader an ardent expression of desire to be something which he has not been, or to do something which he has not done; powers hitherto almost inactive, and positively feeble, are awakened and strengthened, new habits are formed, and the man has been determined upon. Many cases for evil and for good have come before the writer's notice; but he has been particularly struck with the example of Richard Baxter. Among the various influences which served to settle his mind, and determine him for Christ, is mentioned the perusal of a small work, entitled a "Treatise touching Resolution," which was originally written by the famous Jesuit, R. Parsons, and published in England, with considerable alterations, by Edmund Bunny, and dedicated by him to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The first part is dated 1584, and the second 1594. There is a remarkable similarity between the style of this book and that of Baxter, in many of his practical works: and it would be interesting to trace the analogies in thought, sentiment, and form of expression, which so abound between this work and several of Baxter's, particularly the "Saints' Rest," and others, in which he dwells upon the evils of sin, the torments of sinners, the glories of heaven, and the excellencies of God's service. An able pen might be profitably employed on this subject, and show the vast importance of the remark we set out with. Accept the following quotations from the "Treatise touching Resolution." Of the saint's glory, he says, "Surely |